


But This is Gonna Take Me Down

by wildgrapevine



Series: Octaven Oneshots [1]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-15
Updated: 2015-07-15
Packaged: 2018-04-09 12:25:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4348727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildgrapevine/pseuds/wildgrapevine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Most of all, she’s tired of charade she has to keep up when Octavia’s around (which is always, did she mention that?).</p>
<p>College Octaven. Oneshot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	But This is Gonna Take Me Down

**Author's Note:**

> prompt from a jar: “He says it happens to everyone, but I think he’s lying to make me feel better".

“He says it happens to everyone, but I think he’s lying to make me feel better,” Raven complains openly, stretching as she lays against the grass and lets the sun beat down on her toned form.

Octavia seems to listen intently from her spot next to her, hand propped under the side of dark brown hair and a defined jaw as blue eyes observe the girl beside her. Grease stains litter Raven’s loose grey tank top, holes ripped in various places which confirm it’s one of her usual work shirts, and dirt streaks in a smudge across her forehead- one that Octavia is quick to reach over and swipe away before answering.

“Isn’t Sinclair like, a kickass teacher though? If it makes you feel better, who cares if he’s lying?”

Raven thinks for a moment, eyes squinting against the brightness of the sky as she catches a glimpse of gentle hands smoothing over her skin where she imagines proof of her battle with the engine today to be. Besides for a few clouds here and there, there isn’t much marring the beauty of the light blue atmosphere. She closes her eyes and ignores how much the color reminds her of Octavia. Bright, carefree, unflawed. “I do.”

There it is. The typical Raven Reyes pout. They both know it doesn’t really bother her that much, especially since she’ll make sure the mistake never happens again, but that doesn’t stop Raven from milking as much sympathy as she can from everyone. Everyone being mainly Octavia, whose form of sympathy usually includes cuddles, grilled cheese, and soft-spoken words.

If only the mechanic could close her eyes to this too. Although she thinks not acting on them is basically the same thing, especially when she notices the looks Monty gives her during their usual group get-togethers when Raven holds onto Octavia for just a little too long and becomes slightly more clingy even though she hasn’t had a drop of alcohol.

“Of course you do.”

Raven doesn’t open her eyes, but she knows the girl just rolled her eyes and that her words are given with the hint of a smile.

They haven’t been friends for long. Both of them met along with the rest of their current group of friends at one of Clarke’s first college parties (“Planned, prepared, and hosted by the great Clarke Griffin!” the blonde liked to boast). That was only two years ago. Since then, they’ve gotten closer; along with Clarke and the rest of their group of friends, of course, but the amount of alone time they spend together (hiking, studying, having intense Trivia Crack battles) matches that of Jasper and Monty, who have been friends since the beginning of time, and rivals that of Clarke and Lexa, already practically married even though they’ve only just begun speaking in coherent sentences when the other is around.

So they haven’t really known each other that long, but from the outside, no one could really tell.

An unsatisfied huff leaves Raven’s lips. She’s tired of thinking. Tired of debating in her mind whether Sinclair was just trying to be nice with a badly covered lie or if he actually meant that other students had once made the same mistake of blowing up an engine as badly as she did that day. Most of all, she’s tired of charade she has to keep up when Octavia’s around (which is always, did she mention that?). The choice isn’t hers though. As long as Raven wants to stay her friend and not fuck up the closest thing she’s had to ‘her person’, ala Grey’s Anatomy definition. She knew it was a bad idea to marathon that show on Netflix a few months ago.

“Look, Ray,” Octavia starts with a comforting tone and nimble fingers now nonchalantly twisting in Raven’s ponytail, tracing the lone braid that reminds her of lazy days in an English class that was required, but no one cared about, when Octavia would do nothing but nap and braid Raven’s hair from the row behind her, much to Monty’s dismay. “Sometimes people fib a little to make someone they care about feel better. It’s human nature.”

Brown eyes make a reappearance as eyelids crack open. Raven scans Octavia’s expression, trying to read something that wasn’t ready to be read. There is no mistaking her sincerity though. If there’s one thing she knew the girl doesn’t lack, its sincerity. Still, Octavia’s words stick in the back of her mind like a bad song that’s somehow as catchy as it is bad. She’s back to thinking again.

“Have you ever? Fibbed?”

The question seems to catch Octavia off guard and Raven watches her go blank for a moment, her stoic ‘warrior’ face masking her features as she goes through different answers in her head. There may be something about Octavia that’s not ready to read, but Raven knows this look.

“To you?” Comes the answer finally. A form slightly smaller than her own drops beside her, head no longer propped up, eyes no longer on her. Now, they both face the clear, sun-ridden sky. Raven nods. Whether Octavia notices or is too lost in thought to notice anything, she isn’t sure. A shrug comes from the girl beside her and it’s something Raven can feel in every part of her. Brain, mind, soul, whatever that crappy Zen mantra is. “Mostly when I’m trying to turn your frown upside down.” It’s a joke, she knows that, but she can’t help but wonder what Octavia is really fibbing about to make her feel better.

Raven feels the girl scoot closer to her, resting a warm head against her equally as warm shoulder. The sun started dipping lower in the sky a few minutes ago, but she finds herself wishing it never has to go away. Scientifically, that’s impossible. “You’re my best friend,” Octavia continues, another shrug that causes Raven’s heart to stutter. “I tell you everything because you _are_ my everything.”

Her breath leaves her before she even has a chance to catch it. She finds herself praying that Octavia’s closeness doesn’t reveal how hard her heart is beating against her chest. Raven knows being Octavia’s ‘everything’ is far from the truth. Bellamy. Clarke. Monty. The rest of their friends. Her future. Those were Octavia’s everythings too.

But being part of that group is a good feeling though.

It’s a start.


End file.
